Escape from Volterra
by Shadows of a Dream
Summary: Volturi Guard Jared accidentally transforms a teen named Kathryn Taylor, and the Volturi aren't pleased - now Jared and Kathryn must ally or fight as they struggle with both enemies and morality. Please review don't be rude but advice is ok. Pre-Twilight.
1. Attack

_**POV: Kathryn Taylor – Human – Original Character (I Invented Her)**_

It was the ideal vacation. Who _wouldn't _want to visit Italy? There was so much history, so much architecture…

But something here felt… wrong.

I had no logical reason to feel this way. The tour guide of Volterra was friendly enough. She had introduced herself as Heidi and explained that she was leading a party of tourists around the city. Of course, being the curious person that I was, I had decided to join the group and see where it was headed. The first part of the tour had been fun. Now… not so much.

For some reason, Heidi had led us underground into a mysterious city overflowing with detailed architecture. The people around me ooh-ed and ah-ed, but I felt awkward. It was so cold here, so… empty…. that it made me shudder. Every sound echoed ominously off of the stone walls, every tap of a boot on the marble floor resounded forebodingly. And the aura of confidence around Heidi, the way that she seemed almost at home in these caverns, made me feel on edge.

Maybe I was just a paranoid sixteen-year-old girl.

Or maybe something strange was going on.

The tourists around me continued to photograph the architecture, when Heidi suddenly interjected, "Alright, move along." There was a certain tone in her voice, a certain hint of eagerness, that further disturbed me. The other people, seemingly hypnotized, didn't notice, and they followed Heidi down another hallway and towards a set of large doors.

"We're going inside," Heidi explained to the throng. "Follow me."

The crowd obeyed, and Heidi somehow thrust the doors open, hardly moving her hand. But there was power behind the infinitesimal gesture, and the door crashed open with a bang. Too loud a bang for a door that had only been nudged.

Still wary, I examined the circular chamber before me. There were three thrones, richly detailed, with three men upon them. One had shoulder-length blond hair, while the other two had long, dark hair. I couldn't distinguish their other features very well, because they were hidden beneath heavy black robes. There was a sort of ancient, but powerful quality that emanated from them. Near the thrones, there were also several other people that clearly weren't tourists, as well as a guard in a corner adjacent to the door. All of the figures had skin that was unusually pale. I wasn't sure why this bothered me, but it did. It was so… otherworldly… that it made me cringe.

The middle figure on the thrones rose to his feet. "Heidi," he whispered, his voice light, airy, cheerful… too cheerful. He continued, "Good fishing."

_Fishing? What is that supposed to mean? _I wondered.

Heidi replied to the man, "I am glad to have pleased you, Aro."

Aro inhaled deeply, relishing some sort of scent that I didn't notice. "Ah…" he breathed. "A wonderful selection, don't you agree, Caius?"

Another of the men on the thrones, the blond one – who was apparently Caius – nodded. "Yes, well chosen, Aro."

The third of the robed figures, the other dark-haired one, added, "You have wonderful taste, Heidi. Good fishing, but now… to _eat _the catch."

Heidi nodded.

I shuddered. Something here was very, very wrong. The people around me looked only slightly confused, but I myself wanted to run and hide.

Aro turned to the guard and commanded, "Make sure to close the door. Do not allow yourself to be overpowered by thirst and to forget. You must confirm that we were wise to make you one of us."

The guard nodded. "I will prove my self-control to you, Aro."

At that, Aro clapped his hands sharply, and the room went deathly quiet. Even the tourists – who hadn't been fazed by the _really _creepy things prior to now – seemed to know that Aro demanded silence. He smiled broadly. "Everyone, go ahead."

Suddenly, faster than should have been possible, Caius rose from his throne, darted across the room, and seized the arm of one of the tourists. The crowd screamed, and Aro abruptly grabbed hold of another frightened person.

I thought, _what the heck is going on? _Then, terrified and confused, I turned to run, but something hard and white collided with my back, and I crashed to the marble floor. Before I could scream, something sharp pierced the fragile skin of my neck. Hot blood ran from the wound as I uselessly flailed and struggled.

Unexpectedly, I heard the figure above me take a deep breath as he relaxed his hold on my limbs. I turned my head and discovered that my attacker was the guard, and he was staring at another tourist. The guard took a deep breath and muttered something to himself. Then, without warning, he hurried away from me, assaulting the other person. I stumbled to my feet and bolted for the door that was only inches away, blood dripping from my neck.

Behind me, several other tourists fell victim to the sudden violence, but the attackers seemed too distracted to notice my escape. I hurried out of the open door, too frightened even to scream. As I retreated, I could hear more and more shrieks filling the chamber, but they gradually grew quieter as I fled in the opposite direction. I had no idea where I was going – I didn't even know how to get out of this underground complex – but anywhere was better than where I was before. In the distance, I could still hear the shouts of the terrified tourists.

I ran through several hallways and finally collapsed – exhausted – in a crevice in one of the walls. The wound in my neck had suddenly started to burn like acid, and the burn became stronger and stronger, like a growing flame. The fire quickly spread, and soon my entire upper body was burning. _Don't scream_, I told myself. _They'll find you… the attackers. Don't let them find you. Don't scream._

The flames located my legs, and the fire quickly and violently entered them. They, too, started to burn, and soon my entire body was consumed by unending torment. _Don't scream_, I reminded myself. _Don't scream._

The pain continued.

_Don't scream._

The fire grew.

_Don't scream._

The blaze reached my arms.

_Don't scream._

My hands burned.

_Don't scream_

My feet were assaulted_._

_Don't scream._

My neck burned worse.

_Don't scream._

My chest felt ablaze.

_Don't scream._

Somehow, the pain increased even further, and I fought the urge to cry out. I started to involuntarily writhe, a defenseless captor of violent anguish. Finally, as my brain overloaded, I felt my consciousness slipping away.

_Maybe I am dying. Please, just let me die. Please. _The world twisted into a spinning void, and then… darkness.

_Am I dead?_

I didn't think so. This wasn't an afterlife, only darkness. I had passed out.

But the pain remained, while my consciousness did not. I heard, saw, smelled, and felt nothing… I had clearly lost consciousness. But even in this state, the pain burned on. _That _I felt as clearly as ever.

For what felt like eternity, I remained unconscious. Eventually, I revived, but then passed out again. Time elapsed, and it felt like years. I drifted in and out of reality, like a boat tossed by the waves of the ocean. The landscape continued to come in and out of focus, as if I was looking through a distorted camera lens, but the pain remained as strong as ever.

_**Kill me.**__ Someone, __**kill me.**_

Life dragged on, each minute as torturous as the last.

_**Kill me.**__ Somebody, just __**kill me.**__ I want to die!_

No one came.

_**Kill me! **__Please!____Just__** kill me!**_

Nothing. And I was in too much to pain to even shriek for help. And so I remained, wondering if I would remain trapped in this moment for eternity, while reality faded in and out like a vision, and I only writhed in the grip of eternal agony, hoping to die…


	2. Mistake

_**POV: Jared – Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Him)**_

I stared down at the lifeless body of my human prey. As usual, I felt a stab of guilt at what I had done, but I fought it, knowing that guilt would do me no good. I was a vampire now; I had best adjust to murder and bloodshed, unless I truly wanted to hate myself for the rest of eternity. Every time a victim fell before me, their blood filling my body and mind with animalistic thirst, I felt a sense of remorse, the small piece of humanity that reminded me that murder was wrong. That I was monster. That the humans had done nothing to deserve this fate.

_What have I done? _I thought. _What have I become?_ _I have my immortality, but this… this violence… is this really the life that I wanted?_

I sighed a long, forlorn sigh and wondered if I would have been better off as a mortal. As a human. As a creature with a passion for something besides death.

"Satisfied, Jared?" Heidi's voice yanked me back to the moment.

"Yes, Heidi," I replied. "You… chose the humans… well."

"Extremely," Aro added, wiping blood from his face. He turned to the two other guards beside me. "Clean up this mess. We had best be rid of this… waste," he instructed, waving his hand dismissively at one of the pale, bloodless corpses littering the immaculate floor of the marble chamber.

The guards habitually chorused, "Yes, Aro", and Aro, Caius, and Marcus turned to recede to their thrones. Unexpectedly, Aro instructed, "Oh! I almost forgot. Jared, unlock the door."

"Yes, of course," I respectfully replied. Aro was my master forevermore; I wanted to get on his good side. I speedily walked backwards several steps, still looking at Aro.

"I hope that I have proven myself worthy of the immortality that you saw fit to bestow upon me," I continued, reaching back towards the door. "I have more self-control than you think." My hand fumbled around, blindly groping for the door handle. "I intend to serve you to my utmost ability," I added, still feeling around for the door. Finally, feeling somewhat stupid, I wheeled around to face the door from the front.

And gasped.

The door was open.

I had forgotten to close the door.

"Oh, no..." I began. Without warning, Aro, Caius, and Marcus turned to stare. It took a moment for them to realize the source of my shock, but it was then that Aro's face twisted into an expression that could only be described as furious.

"Guards!" Aro shouted. The two vampires that were cleaning the floor turned to face him, and he demanded, "Leave us immediately! And summon Jane and Alec. Quickly! Do not delay!"

The guards flatly responded, "Yes, Aro."

_No, _I thought. _No, no, no! _

I turned to flee, but Aro wheeled around like lightning, glowering at me with eyes that looked even more bloodshot than usual. "Stay here, Jared," he ordered. The expression on his face, coupled with the irate countenances of Caius and Marcus, made it clear that I had best stay put. In the two years that I had been a member of the Guard, I had never seen them so… angry. Their muscles had abruptly stiffened, making them look like a trio of snakes poised to strike.

I heard a childish, beatific voice from behind me. "Greetings, Aro."

A second, more masculine voice added, "Yes, greetings."

I turned to see, as expected, Jane and Alec. Jane apathetically asked Aro, "Is there a reason for the summons? It was rather… unexpected. I do not appreciate interruptions from the guards."

Aro glared at me, and then turned to Jane, explaining, "We have important matters to discuss."

"Regarding?" Jane pressed.

"Jared," Aro clarified. "It appears that he's made… a rather critical mistake."

"I see," Jane replied.

Caius added, "We have important matters to discuss."


	3. Justice

_**POV: Jared – Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Him)**_

_Not good. Really, really not good, _I thought.

I paused to assess the situation. Aro looked infuriated with me, as well as Caius and Marcus. Heidi, not wanting to get involved in the conflict, had hurried out with the guards. Alec looked slightly confused and concerned about what I might have done, while Jane was characteristically bored. As usual.

"Aro," – Alec broke the awkward quiet – "what has Jared done?"

Aro turned to glower at me. "He left the door open during feeding. Any of the humans could have escaped with knowledge of our city and ways!"

There was a brief silence. Alec looked shocked by my actions, but Jane's face was still locked in the same uninterested frown. "The question is, _did_ any of the humans get away?" she asked indifferently.

Caius turned to face me. "That's for Jared to answer."

"I don't think that anyone escaped," I clarified, hoping that he would believe me. As far as I knew, that was the truth. I continued, "I… acted impulsively. Heidi chose some unusually delicious humans. I mean, after all… this _was _my first time on door duty, and…"

"And apparently your last time," Jane flatly interrupted.

_Ugh, _I mused. _Short in stature, but unbelievably annoying!_

However, concealing my disrespectful thoughts, I continued, "As far as I know, none of the humans escaped, so…"

"You're sure?" Again, Jane's irritatingly apathetic voice cut me off in mid-sentence.

"I think so," I replied, beginning to feel exasperated. _She's starting to get to me. What does she want… a play-by-play?_

"Recount the order of events, please," Jane requested. "Just to be sure. You know, a play-by-play?"

_Oh, brother. I thought that Aro was the one who read minds._

"Alright, chronological order," I complied, hoping to avoid arousing fury from Jane. I began, "Heidi brought the humans. Aro gave us permission to eat. I lunged for the nearest mortal…"

"Without closing the door," Jane added.

"Yes," I groaned, "without closing the door, and I bit her… or him… I'm not sure. I think it was a blond female. Either way, the human smelled wonderful, and I bit its neck. Then… let me think…"

I paused, trying to recall what had happened next. I had attacked the human, bit it, and then… Now I remembered. I had smelled another one, a stronger, more appetizing scent, and I had lunged for the new prey, and…

_Oh, no. The other human! What happened to the other human?_

My mind whirled. The other human… must have… escaped! _No, no, no…_

"Jared?" For once, Jane's voice had a hint of emotion – irritation. "Are you alright?"

I couldn't think of how to reply. I was doomed now, as good as dead. Without a doubt, Aro would do away with me for this.

"Speak, Jared!" Jane ordered.

She looked about ready to use her pain-inflicting abilities, so I quickly stammered, "I bit the human, and then… I smelled… another one. I… lunged… for the new one."

"And left the first one unattended?" Jane shouted, her voice rising.

I nodded weakly.

"Useless, **obtuse**, **impulsive** **child**!" Jane shrieked. Suddenly, her mouth curved into a sinister smile. I braced myself for the pain, but it came even stronger than I had expected. Out of nowhere, wild, burning heat, like vampire venom, engulfed my limbs. I felt my legs collapse from under me as I crashed to the marble floor.

I lost all control of my body.

I couldn't even find the strength to scream.

"Jane," Aro calmly corrected, "that's enough."

Jane turned to him, and, for a moment, my pain subsided. "Not yet," Jane whispered to Aro. She turned to me again, and the torture returned, stronger than ever.

"Jane," – Aro's voice was more assertive now – "I said, that's enough."

"Fine," she hissed. The burning in my limbs finally vanished as quickly as it had begun.

Aro turned to me. "So there's a newborn, somewhere in Volterra, changing into an immortal as we speak?"

I stumbled to my feet, and pathetically admitted, "Yes, Aro."

"I will have to deal with you appropriately," Aro sighed. "But I can't afford to kill you. You have… diligence. Potential. Jane?"

Jane looked up with what had returned to a typically blank expression. "Yes?"

"You and Alec may return to your chambers."

Jane nodded. "We had best be going, Alec." Then the two ghosted out the door, their robes flowing in the wind. They were gone.

Again, Aro turned to face me. "You will find the newborn," he hissed. It clearly wasn't a question, but an order. A requirement.

He continued, "If you eliminate the newly created immortal before it wreaks havoc on all of Volterra, you are forgiven and I will pretend that none of this ever happened. If not…" Aro's countenance turned solemn. "…I will have to obliterate your existence for the greater good of the Guard in order to prevent future… mistakes. Are we clear?"

There was a lengthy silence.

Aro repeated, "**Are we clear**?" His voice resounded off of the walls of the chamber.

"Yes, Aro," I answered. "Very clear."

"Good." Aro clapped his hands. "Leave us. Find the newborn and kill it… or you will share it's fate."


	4. Burn

_**POV: Kathryn Taylor – Human – Original Character (I Invented Her)**_

I continued to thrash wildly like a fish out of water. At long last, my consciousness had returned, but the pain was still burning me alive. My arm slammed into the wall with great force, but I could hardly feel the soreness that should have followed. The internal flames overshadowed it, extinguished it, and I felt only the burning as it tortured every corner of my being.

It seemed as if eternity had passed. The blood that had previously been dripping from my neck was dry, and every ounce of strength in my body was fading from the exhaustion created by my continuous writhing.

I should be dead by now.

But I'm not.

Somehow, normal people, people that want to live as long as possible, they're the people that death finds, the ones that reach their ends far before they intended. But as for me, as I was assaulted by unexplained torment that refused to cease, death hid, avoided me, laughed while I thrashed and shook and begged it to come. Death finds those that flee it, but evades those that seek it. Surely that should not be.

_Let me die, _I thought. _I only want to die. Is that too much to ask?_

Suddenly, I heard a rush of wind, and quick, sharp footsteps, gradually growing louder and louder as they approached. I saw a white blur, like a ghost, materialize in front of me. Then it solidified, no longer a mysterious apparition, and I realized that it was a pale man. I'd seen him somewhere before, but somehow, I couldn't place it. I couldn't even think straight, my mind was so overloaded with the blazing anguish. I simply stared at the man for a moment, and then I remembered. I _had _seen him before. The dark uniform, the brown hair, the large muscles, the pale skin…

It was the guard.

The guard that had attacked me.

More than anything, I wanted him to kill me, to put me out of my misery, but I had a bad feeling that he had other plans. He had probably come to torture me even more. I tried to stagger away from him, terrified, but my legs refused to work. They felt rooted in place, like stone, and I couldn't find the strength to move.

"Don't hurt me!" I tried to scream. "Just kill me! I only want to die. Kill me!" But my voice cracked, and it got strangled in my throat, coming out like a fearful whimper, a pitiful squeak. Somehow, I could hardly breathe, let alone scream. I could only whimper.

The guard stared at me for a moment with bloodshot eyes full of a million different emotions. He looked almost… undecided… as if he was trying to decide what to do with me.

"Kill… me," I begged. "Please… just… kill… me."

I hoped, _maybe I am dreaming_. It was a long shot, but this was all so… surreal… that it had to be a dream. I closed my eyes and hoped that, when I opened them, I would be back with my parents on a typical vacation in Italy in a warm, safe hotel room with the burning pain long gone.

But I wasn't dreaming.

I opened my eyes to the same horrific scene, with the same pair of vivid red irises scrutinizing me. "Kill me," I squeaked again. "Kill me."

I closed my eyes a second time, trying to shut out my terrifying, painful reality, hoping that, eventually, I would die…


	5. Mercy

_**POV: Jared – Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Him)**_

"Kill me," the girl gasped. She continued to writhe and shake violently as her transformation continued. Her expression showed what I took to be confusion, pain, and fear. She cringed away from me, but she had no strength to move.

"Kill me," she repeated. Her irises were slowly morphing from a normal shade of brown to a bloody hue of vivid red. And her skin… slowly, it was hardening into the marble-like flesh of an immortal. Already, it was paler, less fragile, and soon it would be unbreakable. I suddenly had a flashback to my own transformation.

_Aro leans forward, his teeth break the weak skin of my neck. I stagger away, waiting for the pain. Caius and Marcus look on and then the burning begins. My neck is full of internal flames. I scream. Aro shushes me. I am told that all will be fine. But it's not. The pain grows. I scream more, and then, suddenly, I lost the strength to scream. I lose my footing. I crash to the ground, but feel no pain. Aro has little reaction. He continues to say that all will be alright. But I'm not alright. I start writhing. I want it to end. I want to die. Aro says that I have potential. I wonder if this was a good choice. My life is changing forever. I will be immortal. I will kill people like me, people with lives. Will my pain end? I can't even scream. I beg Aro to kill me and start to think that I would have done better as a mortal. I've failed myself. I'm so selfish. I wanted immortality, but now others will suffer because of it. I will never die. But many humans will die at my hands. I will kill them. I won't even think about it. Instinct will kick in, and I will kill them. Now, I want to die. Kill me, I repeat. Aro refuses. Tortured, I keep writhing. Kill me, I beg. Kill me. Kill me. Kill me…_

"Kill me," the girl at my feet entreated. "Kill me. Kill me."

I was suddenly yanked back to reality. I had found the newborn. Now all that I had to do was eliminate it and everything would be alright. It would be as if I had never left the door open, as if none of this had ever happened, as if I my teeth had never pierced the human's neck. All that I had to do was kill the newborn. That was all. Just kill it, and Aro would forgive me.

But was that right? What had the human done to deserve this? Her immortality was my fault, and now I was going to just do away with her? _No, _I thought. _This is wrong. This is very, very wrong._

But I yanked myself out of my thoughts. I _had _to kill the newborn, or Aro would kill _me_. I made up my mind and turned to the girl, prepared to tear her apart. But then the flashbacks started again.

_I kill my first human. The young boy screams as I break his arm. Instinct controls me, and I suck his blood until there is nothing left. Aro smiles, pleased with me. I am no longer thirsty, but now I am guilty. I have murder on my hands. I have killed a human, an innocent human boy who had done nothing to provoke my violence. I am a monster now, a murderer, a vampire, an immortal. I suddenly want to be human again, to forget that this terrifying world of vampires exists. But there is no going back…_

I gasped for air. I couldn't revert to a mortal human, but I could have mercy. I could spare the life of this innocent immortal that I had created. Maybe, just maybe, I could leave Volterra. Together, I and the newborn could start a new life, a life apart from bloodshed. I had heard Aro speak of 'vegetarian' vampires before. He called it unnatural, but I was beginning to think that it was the only way to live with myself. To be at least half a human. To have mercy on the innocent.

"Kill me," the newborn squeaked. "Please kill me."

"I can't," I whispered. "I won't. I care too much for that. But you're safe with me."

I lifted the girl with hardly any effort. She whimpered, but I calmly shushed her and took off down the hallway. I could hide her in my chamber for now. And then, once her metamorphosis was complete, we could escape Volterra together. I was breaking all of the Volturi's rules now, but I didn't care. It was time to leave violence behind.

It was time to escape from Volterra.


	6. Reality Check

_**POV: Kathryn Taylor – Transforming Human – Original Character (I Invented Her)**_

I was pretty sure that two days had passed. Somehow, though, it was impossible to tell. In this strange underground city, time seemed to have no meaning. The sun did not rise and set and the people seemed to require no sleep. To make matters worse, every minute felt like years as the pain burned on, intent on torturing me for all eternity. I continued to writhe, but I was still unable to scream. And claustrophobia was setting in.

It had taken a moment to realize what had happened. The landscape had blurred and the colors had melded without warning. My hair had blown in the sudden wind, and then, abruptly, I had found myself in a completely new location. The guard had explained that I was in his chamber, and he was going to hide me there for the time being. Then he had left, saying that he had other matters to attend to. Every now and then, he had returned to check on me. Each time, I had begged him to kill me, but he had repeatedly refused. Now he was back, and again, I howled in agony, pleading with him to put me out of my misery.

"Kill me," I gasped. "Please… just kill me."

"No," the guard replied. "Not when the pain is almost over."

I moaned pitifully. "I can't… last… any longer. Just… kill me."

"It would be much easier if I did," the guard confessed. "I'm _supposed_ to kill you."

"Then just… do it."

"I can't. But I understand. I've been through this… we've all been through this. Every one of us."

"Us?" I asked, bracing myself for the answer to my question. Somehow, as much as I wanted a response, I was as afraid as I was eager. _What am I becoming? What is happening to me?_

"You're one of us now," the guard clarified. "I don't want to frighten you, but I _will_ explain later… when you're calmer, when the pain has ceased."

"Explain… _now_," I demanded.

The guard sighed. "We are… immortals. We have no blood, we require no food. We are… monsters. Leeches. You would call us… call us…" The guard paused, rethinking something. After a moment, he said, "I'll explain later. I really don't want to scare you."

"Just tell me!" I protested. "What… what are you? W… what am I?"

"You're a… a…" The guard struggled for the right phrase. But then, finally, he uttered a single word that made me shiver. "Vampire."

For a moment, my brain refused to work, to comprehend the meaning of the term. _A vampire? A VAMPIRE? I am dreaming. Surely I am dreaming…_

The guard stammered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is my fault… it's my fault that you're like this. I'm so sorry."

I continued to suffocate under the weight of my emotional turmoil, coupled with the searing pain. The word 'vampire' resounded in my mind, growing louder, slowly sinking in.

_A vampire – an immortal._

_ A vampire – a blood-drinker._

_ A vampire – a monster._

_ A vampire… __**me**__._

I was a _vampire_. The pain in my limbs was the venom of a _vampire_.

_Impossible, _I thought. _A vampire? This is like a nightmare, like a horror movie… this can't be real._

"I'm so sorry," the guard continued. "My fault… all my fault. I've ruined your life… you're immortal now."

Immortal. The word echoed within me. Suddenly, I realized the full gravity of immortality. I would live forever, never dying. Somehow, the things that had seemed important before – like popularity and nice clothes – seemed useless, temporary. I started to wish that I had left a better legacy than an expensive hot pink cell phone. I wondered what my reputation was like, and if it was really what I wanted to leave behind. I wondered which of the things that I had said would linger – the kind things or the angry outbursts. I wondered what my family thought of me, and if I had treated my parents with enough respect.

I was a vampire.

And suddenly, in that moment, as I confronted my terrifying new reality face-to-face, I did something that I had been unable to do for what had seemed like eternity.

I screamed.

I screamed so loud that I thought my lungs would explode.

"Stop!" the guard growled gutturally, dashing over to me and covering my mouth with an icy, immortal hand. "The other vampires will find you. I was ordered to destroy you, and if they find out about this, you and I will both be quickly eliminated. Do you understand?"

"Y… Y… Yes," I stuttered.

"Good," the guard replied. "Now that you know what I am, what _you _are, I have a lot of things to explain. This city… it is known as Volterra. The three men on the thrones – Aro, Caius, and Marcus – are known as the Volturi. They maintain order in our world, the vampire world. The woman, the tour guide, her name is Heidi. It's her job to round up the humans, and then we… you saw it for yourself. We suck the humans' blood. I was supposed to kill you, not bite you and then allow you to escape. And now… Aro is furious with me. Unless I destroy you, he _will_ kill me. And you. So you and I have to work together to escape Volterra… together. Do you trust me?"

I paused to think. This boy was a vampire, but so was I, and he _had _chosen to spare my life despite the danger of losing his own. "Yes, I trust you," I replied. I unexpectedly noticed that the burn in my limbs was fading, dying – the internal flames were slowly losing the strength to endure. I was speaking normally, without stuttering. "It's stopping," I exclaimed, elated. "The pain is going away. I feel my strength coming back."

"Good," the guard replied. "I'll need to… uh… _feed_ you quickly, and then you'll have to hide here until the time is right for us to escape."

"I don't want to stay here any longer than necessary," I confessed. "Every moment that I spend in Volterra is another moment that I could be found and… and… and killed."

"Yes, but if we escape too early, we might be caught in the act, which would be even worse. You have to trust me," the guard repeated.

"Alright," I agreed, realizing that I had no other options.

"One more thing," the guard interjected. "I… I still don't know your name."

"Kathryn," I explained. "Kathryn Taylor."

"I'm Jared," he replied. "We're in this together. We need each other, and we have to trust each other. It's time to face the future… together."

Jared was right. It was time to prepare to face this new life, as well as the bloodlust that was soon to arise in me. I felt afraid and unready, but I knew that I needed to come to terms with the truth. I was a monster… there was no changing that now. I couldn't change the past, so it would be best to attempt to create a good future. The future, for me, meant more than for a mortal. It meant forever, it meant eternity, and it meant being a slave to a wild instinct that would drive me to murder innocent people like me. But I wasn't simply going to surrender and accept an existence of misery. This was the beginning of a new life, and I was determined to make it a good one. I would try to create a future apart from bloodshed. I would try to accept the monster that I had become.

And, most importantly, I would try to escape from Volterra.

Which might be harder than I thought.


	7. Excuses

_**POV: Jared – Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Him)**_

__I soundlessly ghosted through the hallways of Volterra. I feared that I'd made a grave mistake, but there was no use in agonizing over that now. I had made my decision, and there was no way to change it.

The newborn – Kathryn – had finally become fully immortal, and, immediately, had recognized the burning thirst in her throat. I had wanted to feed her quickly, but had heard a summons from Jane down the hall. If I had ignored her command to come immediately, she would have completely lost it, which would have been extremely painful for me. So I had promised Kathryn that I would return with 'food' as soon as possible. But, most importantly, I had ordered her not to leave my chamber.

Now I had a sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach that Kathryn's typical newborn thirst for blood would catapult her straight into trouble. There was no way to tell, of course, but I had been a newborn once before, and I knew the initial strength of the desire to find… to kill… to _feed_. However, Heidi's 'tour group' would arrive shortly, and then, if I was careful, I might be able to seize a human or two and bring them to Kathryn. The trouble would be doing so unnoticed, but I would figure something out.

"Jared?" The voice was Jane's, and it snapped me back to the moment like a recoiling rubber band.

"Greetings, Jane," I said, my tone polite. Jane's countenance was typically blank, and I was unable to tell whether she was angry, concerned, or, as usual, bored. So I simply asked, "What is it? Is something wrong?"

She groaned. "Aro sent me. He requires an update on your progress."

I suddenly felt confused. "Progress?"

"You've _forgotten_? I should have assumed so. You were immature enough to createthe newborn… I shouldn't actually have expected you to locate and end it."

I suddenly wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. Preoccupied with protecting Kathryn, I had completely forgotten to create an excuse for why I hadn't eliminated her yet. "Uh… I… uh… I've been planning a course of action," I said, "to make sure that I don't fail you again."

"Planning," Jane pried, "for _two days_?"

I frantically groped for a suitable explanation, and finally replied, "I tried to locate the newborn, but failed. She…"

"It _is_ a female, after all?" Jane pressed.

I gulped. I had all but forgotten about my previous uncertainty of the newborn's gender. Nervously, I stammered, "I… I told you, Jane, that I think that it was a blond female. She must have run deep into the city, because I couldn't find her. And… now that two days have passed, her transformation is most likely complete, and… she could be anywhere."

"You've failed, then?" Jane's expression turned passively sympathetic, as if she truly thought that Aro was going to do away with me.

"I haven't failed," I quickly answered. "Far from it. I _will _find the newborn, and destroy her."

"It," Jane interrupted.

"What?"

"It's an 'it', Jared, not a 'she'. It's hardly anything of value… just another animal… another monster… easily disposed of and replaced."

_Easily disposed of and replaced. _I wondered if Jane – and Aro – saw me as simply replaceable. Was I really just another pawn in the Volturi's game? And did Aro even trust me to find the newborn on my own, or was he simply using me? If I failed to complete this task, (which I already had, technically,) would Aro just find someone else to do it? Did I really have the 'diligence' and 'potential' that he flattered me with, or was I just one of many identical, replaceable guards?

I pulled myself out of my musings. "I will find the newborn, Jane," I assured her. "She… _it_… will be quickly eliminated."

"I hope so," Jane sighed, shaking her head slightly. "Otherwise… you know what would happen."

"I will make sure to fulfill my purpose," I stated. "I…" Suddenly, I heard familiar footsteps in the distance. "Is that Heidi?"

Jane turned her head towards the source of the sound. "Yes, it is Heidi," she clarified. "With a rather large selection of humans, as well."

For the first time, I felt true remorse for the group of oblivious humans. Their lives were all about to end in a bloody massacre, and none of them even knew. But I reminded myself that, until I escaped from Volterra, I would need to feed on human blood. And I would need to hurry a decent amount of that blood to Kathryn.

"Jane, may I please greet Heidi?" I requested, hoping to find an opportunity to seize one of the humans.

"Alright," Jane flatly permitted. "I will explain your progress to Aro, and hopefully he will be pleased. Or…" Jane smiled beatifically. "You know."

I tried to smile back. Jane's repeated mention of what might very well be my fate made me wonder if she knew what I was up to. "Uh… goodbye, Jane," I stuttered. "Give Aro my best regards."

Jane nodded, and I hurriedly approached Heidi's tour group. There was indeed a pleasing party of humans, and they smelled utterly… well… appetizing. "Greetings, Heidi," I said.

That was when I noticed a ghostly blur just behind her – the blur of another immortal.

An immortal that I knew very well.

An immortal with powerful instincts.

An immortal that, if noticed, would surely be destroyed, along with me.

**Kathryn.**

She was only inches behind Heidi… close enough for Heidi to grab her and rip her apart. Suddenly, I wanted to scream.


	8. Thirst

_**POV: Kathryn Taylor – Newborn Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Her)**_

_Stop, _I told myself. _Do you have a death wish? You're out in the open. Stop!_

But the impulse overpowered me, controlled me. I felt like an animal – controlled by instinct alone – and a monstrous, violent instinct at that.

I had been doing as Jared had instructed – remaining in his chamber – when the scent had wafted into the room, choking my sanity, awakening my bloodlust. The power of the desire to kill had startled me, but I had been unable to control it. The potent scent of the humans' blood had burned in my throat, much like the venom that had changed me, and I had felt my chest tighten and my muscles stiffen involuntarily in preparation for slaughtering the humans.

My conscience had interrupted me, reminding me that the humans were but innocent victims of undeserved violence. But the rational thoughts had been drowned by the new, animalistic nature that had surfaced in me. The world around me had dissolved, and all that I saw and felt and heard was the thirst. I had known that destroying the humans would be murder, but somehow, I could not control the need to kill.

Before I had been able to stop myself, I had opened the door of Jared's chamber. And then, with my newly acquired speed, I had lunged for the source of my torment – a human at the rear of the throng whose eyes grew wide with shock as my icy hands covered his mouth and pinned him to the ground. Now I was fully controlled by instinct – all humanity, all sense of morality, had been extinguished. I was becoming little more than an animal. But I could not fight the need to feed, for it filled my whole being.

So I held the frightened human to the ground, and my teeth pierced his neck. Blood flowed from the wound, and the smell completely engulfed my consciousness, hurling it into a void of wild, uncontrolled thirst. The other humans were completely oblivious, since the one that I had attacked was far behind the crowd. I had intended to kill only one human, but as my bloodlust increased, I suddenly feared that I might not be able to stop until they all lay dead.

_Stop, _I told myself. _Stop. This is wrong… you're killing another human. Stop. You're more than this… you're more than an animal._

But I couldn't stop. I wondered if I _was_ an animal, a slave to a violent instinct that would forever hold me in its grip.

Unexpectedly, I realized that my mortal victim was without any remaining blood. But still, the thirst raged. My whole being was internally screaming, begging for me to keep killing until no blood remained. Until every mortal was dead. Until I was satisfied.

I launched myself at another human. I was too fast for anyone else to notice, and it was even easier to restrain the mortal this time, having done it once before. Soon, I needed yet another human. Before I even realized it, I was drinking the blood of a third.

_Stop. Fight the instinct._

The scent of the blood controlled me, and I could not cease to kill.

_Enough! You've done too much damage already. Stop!_

I seized a fourth mortal.

_Stop, Kathryn! Stop killing! Stop this madness!_

I couldn't. I felt like a slave, unable to control my own destiny, forced to obey the will of my master – the thirst. I didn't want to keep killing, but I continued in my violent act of horror. Would this ever end?

It didn't seem likely…


	9. Restraint

_**POV: Jared – Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Him)**_

I stared in shock as Kathryn lunged for a fourth human. It had only been a short period of time, but she was darting around the room at an impossible, immortal speed, seizing and killing mortals one by one.

"Jared? Are you alright? You've been staring into space for a while now."

Heidi sounded concerned. Her voice dragged me back to the moment reminded me that I must not draw attention to Kathryn, or she and I would both be killed.

"I'm fine, Heidi," I lied, hoping that my countenance wouldn't give me away. "Completely fine, just… thirsty. You've done some impressive fishing."

"Thank you, Jared. I'll try to speed things up," Heidi agreed, turning to the crowd of oblivious humans and waving them along with her hand. "We're moving on," she explained. "There's much more to see."

I held my breath, desperately hoping that Heidi – who was now facing the other direction – wouldn't notice Kathryn. She abruptly dashed across my line of vision, but passed so quickly that Heidi thankfully didn't notice her.

I turned to Heidi and stammered, "Uh… I'll catch up with you in a moment."

"I thought that you were thirsty," she replied. Are you sure that you're alright?"

"Um… yes. I'm… uh… going to inform some of the other guards about your arrival with the tour group."

Heidi looked suspicious. "They don't already know?"

"Uh… well…" Now I was trapped. Frenetically, I searched for an explanation. "They _might _already know, but I just wanted to make sure… to go above and beyond what is expected of me. I'm… uh… sure that you lost faith in me since the last feeding, and I'm trying to prove myself."

"Your mistake was… disappointing," Heidi admitted. "Did you manage find the newborn yet?"

I immediately regretted dragging Kathryn into the conversation. "I haven't located it yet," I answered, "but I will. Soon."

"Hopefully," Heidi sighed. She waved her hand at the throng more urgently. "Everyone, _please_ move along."

This time, the crowd was more obedient, and they hurriedly followed Heidi in the direction of the throne room, rounding the corner and disappearing from view. Abruptly, Kathryn realized that they were leaving, and she shot across the hall and towards another human. However, I was too fast. Leaping into the air, I seized Kathryn's arms, and she crashed to the marble floor.

"Get off me," she hissed. Her eyes were practically glowing, and they were blank, emotionless… as if she were being hypnotized. And her mouth was locked into an angry, violent grimace as the glowered at me with hatred. "Let me go!"

"Stop, Kathryn," I demanded, trying to stay clam, struggling to control her flailing limbs. "You'll get us both killed. Stop!"

"Let… me… feed," she growled, sounding like an insane animal. "Get off me!" she shrieked, struggling harder, and I frantically tried to restrain her.

"This isn't what you wanted," I whispered, hoping that Heidi wouldn't overhear Kathryn's tortured squeals. "This is murder… this is wrong. Stop. Fight the instinct."

"Let me _go_!" Kathryn wailed. Her hands locked into fists, and – with all of her newborn strength – she hurled me across the room with a guttural snarl. I crashed to the floor, landing on my face, and pain from the impact momentarily kept me locked in place. Determined, Kathryn tore past me and towards Heidi and the tour group.

Stumbling to my feet, I hurried after her, terrified of the possibility of her being discovered. She was about to pounce on yet another mortal, but I lunged and seized her by the arm. Immediately, before she could break free, I dashed back to my chamber, tossed her to the ground, and slammed the door. Hopefully, now that the humans were at a distance, I would be able to calm Kathryn and return her to her senses.

"Calm down," I consoled. "Stop. It's alright. Just stop."


	10. Outburst

_**POV: Kathryn Taylor – Newborn Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Her)**_

"Stop," Jared pleaded. "Please, please stop."

And somehow, I did. I felt the pain in my throat retreating, and reality suddenly came into focus as the thirst withdrew. I knew that it had only receded for the moment, and that it would resurface as soon as it was capable, but it was still wonderful to be temporarily free of the bloodlust. I exhaled a sigh of relief.

Jared's expression suddenly turned furious. "What were you thinking?" he growled.

Truthfully, I hadn't been thinking of anything but the thirst. It had controlled my mind, suffocating all rational thoughts. So, not wanting to sound stupid, I didn't answer Jared. I remained silent, hoping that his anger would pass.

"You could have gotten us both **killed**!" he shouted. "Is that what you want?"

I weakly shook my head no.

"Then what is your problem?" Jared challenged. "I ordered you to stay here!"

"I tried," I whimpered fearfully, cringing away from Jared's wild gaze. "I don't know what happened. I lost control."

"You were only inches behind Heidi!" Jared shrieked. "She could have destroyed you!"

_Heidi? _I thought. I hadn't even noticed her, consumed by my instinct to kill.

"You must have a death wish!" Jared raged. "And then, when I tried to help you, you _attacked _me! I saved your life – is that how you repay me?"

_Attacked? _I hardly had any recollection of striking Jared, only short memories. I had been thirsty. I had lunged for a human. Something strong had held me down… that had been Jared? I hadn't even recognized him. The thirst had blurred my surroundings, catapulted me into a world where nothing had mattered but the need for blood. I had _attacked _Jared. He was my only friend in this terrifying vampire world, and I had _attacked _him!

"I'm… sorry," I gasped.

"'Sorry' isn't enough!" Jared snapped. "You almost got me killed, and you're just 'sorry'? I should have just eliminated you while you were still transforming!"

I shuddered. Jared's sudden outburst was frightening me, and I feared that, if his rage escalated any further, his threats would be turned into action, and he might actually hurt me… or kill me.

"Jared, I'm sorry," I hurriedly stammered. "I won't let it happen again. I'm still new, and this was my first time smelling human blood since my transformation."

Jared growled, and the growl grew louder until it was a guttural snarl of utter fury. "You're an instinct-driven, worthless child!" he shouted. "I've had enough of tolerating you! If you make one more stupid mistake, I'll end you for good! I can escape Volterra on my own!"

I wanted to shout, to protest, but as terror overcame me, I suddenly felt speechless with fear. Jared paused, breathing hard, and he stormed to the door. "I've had it with you!" he bellowed, and he slammed the door, disappearing down the hallway in less than a second.

I stood there, traumatized. I'd turned my only remaining friend against me, and now he had threatened to destroy me… forever.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror on the wall – the perfect planes of my immortal face; my thick, wavy blond hair cascading down to my shoulders; my pale flesh… and my eyes. The bloody red voids of a horrifying monster. That's what I was… a monster…just as Jared has said – an instinct-driven, worthless child. In that moment, I knew that he was right. I was useless, violent, and impulsive.

I was a monster.

And I would remain a monster.

For eternity.

I was unable to master my instincts, and, if I failed to control them, Jared would do away with me. I felt alone and uncared for – like a lost, neglected puppy – and I suddenly felt utterly hopeless and miserable. I closed my eyes, whimpering pitifully, and wondered what my future would hold. Most likely, it would be a future of loneliness and heartbreak.


	11. Betrayal

_**POV: Kathryn Taylor – Newborn Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Her)**_

It took a while to get a grip, to seize hold of what sanity remained in my consciousness. My whole world seemed to be caving in. First, I'd watched the last shreds of my humanity dissolve against my will, permanently rendering me a bloodthirsty monster incapable of returning to my mortal family. Then the instinct to feed had conquered my morals, as well, and I had violently killed without reason. Now, abruptly, everything had climaxed – I had infuriated my only remaining friend, and he had angrily threatened to end my second life. Suddenly, I didn't know who to trust anymore.

Composing myself, I eventually stopped whimpering. The hot thirst in my throat was temporarily appeased, allowing me to think more rationally. I meticulously reviewed everything that I knew about my new immortality and this city called Volterra.

I was underground.

I had no idea how to get out of here.

I would probably need to feed again within a day.

And Jared would crush me if I failed to control myself.

I shuddered, reliving the wild tirade from only a few minutes before. Jared was clearly bent on eliminating me, should I fail to master my thirst. As afraid as I was to admit it, he was my enemy now. I had best accept that.

So escaping with Jared was out. I tried to think of other logical courses of action to take, but none came to mind. I had no other allies to rely on. Feeling hopeless, I wondered if I would ever escape Volterra at all.

Then it hit me.

As quickly and directly as an arrow.

Perhaps escape wasn't necessary after all. It was a definite impossibility, as was remaining under Jared's momentary protection. Since escaping was impractical, I would need to find a way to safely remain in Volterra. Obviously, I couldn't run from the Volturi and their servants forever. So what options did that leave me? I paused to think, and the reality of what I needed to do slowly sunk in.

The Volturi were my only hope.

Most likely, they had only ordered Jared to kill me out of fear that I would oppose them. If I willingly went to the Volturi, they might accept me as a new servant of theirs and allow me to live. I could tell them about Jared having disobeyed their orders by protecting me, and then the Volturi would hopefully do away with him.

But could I really do such a thing? Could I really betray Jared, the one that had spared my life? I would already be dead if it hadn't been for him. But, at the same time, Jared was my enemy now, as hard as that was to accept. I knew what I had to do.

The hard part would be doing it.

I swallowed my guilt, knowing that betraying Jared was the only way for me to survive. I realized that I was now a fugitive, an enemy of all sides, a double agent. Both Jared and the Volturi were now potential threats. But trusting the Volturi was by far the lesser of two evils.

I dashed to the door of Jared's chamber, listening for nearby footsteps. There were none, and I took that as a sign that I could safely exit my chamber and enter the hallway without being noticed. It felt strange running from Jared, the one vampire that I had previously believed in. He had _some _compassion – that much was clear – but not enough to sustain my life for very long.

I ghosted down the hallway and around the corner, shivering as I approached the massive gates of the Volturi's chamber. They held painful, burning memories that I would much rather forget; I could almost feel the venom engulfing me as I recalled my transformation. Overcome, I nearly turned to run.

_Stop it, Kathryn. This is your last chance at survival, _I told myself.

I forced my feet to stay put and deliberately commanded myself to take a step. _Here I go, _I thought. Still shivering slightly, I placed my pale hand on the brass handle in front of me, closing my eyes, fearing what would await me inside the chamber, but knowing that I must confront it.

With a deep breath, I opened the door.


	12. Volturi

_**POV: Kathryn Taylor – Newborn Vampire – Original Character (I Invented Her)**_

The door swung open slightly harder than I had intended, bumping into the wall with a short, hollow crack that ominously reverberated in the archaic stone. Fearfully, I examined the chamber before me. The Volturi – dressed in their familiar black robes – were on their thrones, conversing with each other and clearly unaware of my presence.

Again, my fear desperately battled to gain the upper hand, swamping my mind with a million reasons for me to turn around and run for my life. But I fought back and took a step into the room against my will. Angry, fear retreated, but it was replaced by guilt at what I was doing to Jared.

_This is wrong, _my conscience reminded me. _He saved your life, and by doing this, you will most likely end his._

_ He threatened to kill me! _I retorted.

My conscience repeated, _He still saved your life._

_Shut up! This is about survival, not morals! _I mentally shrieked. Finally, my guilt withdrew, although still lingering at the very edge of my consciousness.

I took another step into the chamber, hoping that I didn't appear as frightened as I felt. _Stay calm, Kathryn. Stay calm, _I told myself. I took another deep breath and opened my mouth to speak. My throat felt dry and scratchy, so I took another deep breath, finally managing to find the will to address the Volturi.

My voice was shaky and feeble, but audible. "Aro."

In an instant, he wheeled around, startled. His hazy irises stared into mine, boring into my brain, and I somehow got lost in the clouded voids of ancient crimson. They were surreal and intense. Darker and hazier than my own eyes, but more perceptive. They analyzed me for what felt like forever, slowly and methodically scrutinizing me, as if they could see my every thought, fear, and motivation. I stood locked in place like the marble that my flesh appeared to be made of. Finally, Aro spoke, and the sound was nervous, sharp… nothing like the sweet whisper from the day of my transformation.

"Guards! An intruder!"

_Intruder? _Dazed, it took me a moment for me to realize that Aro was referring to me. And calling guards!

"N… no, no… no!" I stuttered, waving my arms frantically. "I'm not your enemy!" I clarified, but my assurance came too late. Five guards materialized in the doorway, blocking my exit.

"Seize the newborn!" Aro ordered. Immediately, the guards did so, grasping my arms with immortal strength. I was stronger than they were, but there were too many of them, and they overpowered me, forcing me to collapse to my knees on the cold stone.

"Stop!" I demanded. My emotions continued to escalate, increasing from nervous to frightened, from frightened to angry, and from angry to enraged. I abruptly realized that I was clenching my teeth like an animal. I could feel my eyes smoldering like coals, as if they could burn right through Aro. Separating each word, I growled, "Let me go!"

Aro remained unnaturally calm – he had clearly destroyed innocent victims like me several times before with hardly a thought. He sighed a lengthy sigh. "Calm down, newborn."

I ignored the order, thrashing in my enemies' grip, but they only tightened their hold. Finally, recognizing the futility of my struggling, I grudgingly submitted to the guards.

Caius turned to me, his voice harsh but not angry. "Why have you come here?"

"For safety," I explained.

"From?" Caius pressed.

"Safety from… from…" I wrestled with my emotions. Now was the last moment that I had to choose – would I or would I not betray Jared? My guilt revived, snuffing out all other thoughts, but my survival instinct fought back. Eventually, the instinct won, and the guilt finally fell dead. "…safety from Jared," I gasped.

"Jared?" Aro looked confused. "He's been trying to destroy you, then?"

"N… no," I stammered. "He threatened… to kill me… because I nearly exposed him. He's been… protecting me."

There was no going back now; I had divulged the truth. Aro's eyes glowed a brighter red, like lava. "_**Protecting**_** you**?"

I nodded weakly. The rage was plain on Aro's face – Jared had no hope of survival now. As guilt, again, resurfaced, I fought it, but it struggled to pull me into a void of regret. I couldn't retaliate forever, and I eventually tumbled into a pool of remorse. I buried my head in my hands, defeated, whimpering like a child all over again.

Aro mistook my emotion to be fear. "It's alright, newborn," he soothed. "Don't be afraid. This is Jared's fault, not yours – you did the right thing by informing us of his actions."

Aro's words didn't help. I wailed harder, horrified at what I had done.

"Newborn, it's alright," Aro repeated. The guards released my arms as he approached me, placing a comforting, but incredibly icy hand on my shoulder. "You have nothing to fear now," he consoled. "You were wise to approach us – you will find that we are far kinder than Jared."

I lifted my head. "What… what will you do to him?"

"We will do…" There was a lengthy pause. "…whatever is necessary," Aro finished. "We will protect you; you have our word."

"I'm safe, then?" It was hard to believe. I wasn't sure whether to leap for joy or suffocate under revulsion at what I had done.

"Yes, you are safe," Aro replied. "You may return to Jared."

I suddenly felt confused. "Return?"

"I will need time to determine his punishment. But I summon him tonight, and your troubles will end."

"Thank you, Aro," I said. Finally, I was safe. But oh, the weight of my guilt. It was like carrying the world on my shoulders.

"Go," Aro ordered. "Immediately."

I did so, hurrying out the door, feeling both relieved and miserable. Eventually, I collapsed to my knees in Jared's chamber, where no one could see me, where I could hide from my remorse. But remorse is like a snake – it is slow, but eventually, it will slither after you and find you. And then it will wind its ugly body around you and squeeze until you feel ready to die. The snake of guilt found me, and, as the invisible reptile struck, I succumbed to my emotions.

And emotionally fell apart.


End file.
